GCSE Glacial Landscapes Trip to Andorra

Day 1 Arrival and Introduction to Glacial Geography

Morning:
Flight to Girona or Barcelona.
Coach transfer to hotel in Soldeu.
Late breakfast on arrival.

Midday:
Class Session 1:
Health and safety briefing.
Glacial geography revision games.
Introduction to fieldwork methods, map work, and equipment check.

Afternoon:
Fieldwork Session 1:
Coach transfer to Port d’Envalira.
Walk from Port d’Envalira to Col Blanc (2500m) to identify glacial landforms (e.g., corries, arêtes).
Activities: Field sketching, map reading, and landform analysis.
Return to Port d’Envalira for coach transfer back to the hotel.

Evening:
Dinner at the hotel.
Class Session 2:
Review fieldwork from Col Blanc.
Discuss sampling strategies and quantitative methods in preparation for the next day’s activities.

Day 2 Glacial Deposits and Ice Movement Analysis

Morning:
Breakfast and preparation for fieldwork (kit check, collect packed lunches).
Coach transfer to Port d’Envalira.
Fieldwork Session 2:
Walk to Col Blanc and onwards to the glacial lakes and moraine fields at La Portella.
Activities:
Field sketching and identifying glacial deposits.
Using compasses to measure glacier flow direction through striations and chatter marks.
Analyze moraine rock types to infer ice movement in adjacent corries.

Afternoon:
Lunch in the field at La Portella.
Continue fieldwork and return to Port d’Envalira.
Coach transfer back to the hotel.

Evening:
Free time for relaxation.
Dinner at the hotel.
Class Session 3:
Review data from moraine and striation analysis.
Plot findings onto maps and discuss interpretations.

Day 3 Economic Uses and Sustainable Resources in Alpine Landscapes

Morning:
Breakfast and field preparation.
Class Session 4:
Introduction to economic uses of glacial landscapes using maps and Google Earth imagery.
Fieldwork Session 3:
Walk from the hotel to a nearby ski area.
Study the environmental impacts of skiing on soil quality and biodiversity.

Afternoon:
Return to Soldeu for lunch and free time for shopping or relaxation.
Fieldwork Session 4:
Walk along GR trails into the Incles Valley.
Study alpine woodlands and high-altitude agriculture as sustainable resources.
Return to the hotel on foot.

Evening:
Dinner at the hotel.
Class Session 5:
Review findings from the day’s fieldwork.
Group plenary and reflection.

Day 4 Departure

Morning:
Breakfast and check-out.
Coach transfer to Girona or Barcelona Airport for return flight.

Excursions

Fieldwork at Port d’Envalira and La Portella

Begin your glaciated landscapes investigation with hands-on fieldwork at Port d’Envalira and La Portella. Students identify classic glacial features like U-shaped valleys, corries and moraines while developing core skills such as map reading, field sketching and sediment analysis. At La Portella, glacier flow direction is inferred through striation measurements, and biodiversity comparisons are made between ski runs and undisturbed zones.

Incles Valley and Cabana Sorda Corrie

Explore macro-scale landform evidence in the Incles Valley and at Cabana Sorda Corrie, where students analyse lateral and recessional moraines, roche moutonnées and corrie formation. Using digital mapping tools like ARCGIS, students visualise the landscape and link theoretical models with real-world terrain — essential preparation for NEA coursework.

Col Blanc and the Glacial Lakes

Visit the Col Blanc pass and nearby glacial lakes, including the La Portella and Cabana Sorda lakes, to observe depositional features and water systems in post-glacial environments. This final field site offers a chance to reinforce concepts around glacial retreat, meltwater processes and alpine hydrology, with time for reflection on the trip’s cumulative fieldwork skills.

Andorra La Vella and Terminal Moraines

Conclude the trip with a study of terminal moraines and paleo-lake deposits near Andorra La Vella, examining how glaciation shaped valley systems and influenced human settlement patterns. A cultural exploration of the capital complements this session, encouraging cross-disciplinary thinking across physical and human geography.